NCDC Opposes Bill Creating New National Public Health Institute

Lawmakers want a new public health body. Nigeria’s existing disease control agency says that would make things worse, not better.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has formally opposed a bill seeking to establish a National Institute for Public Health and Infectious Diseases, warning lawmakers that creating another federal public health agency with overlapping functions could weaken Nigeria’s disease surveillance and emergency response system. NCDC Director General Dr Jide Idris presented the agency’s position on Thursday during a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Infectious Diseases.

The Core of NCDC’s Objection

Idris argued that the proposed institute would duplicate responsibilities already assigned to the NCDC under its enabling law, the NCDC Establishment Act of 2018. He explained that the bill designates the proposed institute as Nigeria’s National Focal Point for the International Health Regulations and empowers it to coordinate infectious disease outbreak responses, functions currently held by the NCDC and recognised internationally by the World Health Organisation.

“The core responsibilities proposed for the new institute are substantially the same as those currently assigned to the NCDC,” Idris said, noting that several clauses in the bill appeared to mirror existing NCDC legislation almost verbatim. He warned that establishing a parallel institution could create dangerous uncertainty over leadership and accountability precisely when a clear chain of command matters most during disease outbreaks.

A Question of Timing and Resources

Beyond governance concerns, Idris questioned the financial implications of creating an entirely new institution with its own headquarters, zonal offices, and workforce, particularly given that the bill proposes partial funding through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. He warned this arrangement could place additional strain on resources already earmarked for essential healthcare services.

This concern arrives at a particularly sensitive moment. The House of Representatives had separately raised alarm just weeks earlier over an NCDC funding crisis, revealing that the agency received no operational funding in 2025 and no capital releases against its approved 2026 budget allocation, even as Nigeria faces active Ebola preparedness demands.

What Lawmakers Are Saying

However, supporters of the bill, including House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, have described the proposed institute as a strategic investment in national health security, drawing on lessons from Nigeria’s experiences with Ebola, COVID-19, and recurring Lassa fever outbreaks. Committee Chairman Amobi Ogah noted that a planned facility in Saye, Zaria, intended for the new institute, currently sits underutilised, raising separate questions about resource allocation.

Idris urged lawmakers to instead strengthen existing structures rather than create parallel ones, submitting a detailed clause by clause analysis highlighting conflicts with current law. Whether the National Assembly heeds that recommendation or proceeds with the new institute will shape Nigeria’s public health governance architecture for years to come.